WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, October 17, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, October 18, 2017.

US on path to isolation: Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the Trump administration’s disregard for international agreements has put the United States on the course of isolation and discredit. Rouhani referred to the US planned withdrawal from the UNESCO and the Paris climate accord as instances of Washington’s lack of commitment to international agreements. He also noted that even Washington’s traditional allies in Europe distanced themselves from Trump’s stance on the Iran nuclear deal and stressed they would remain committed to the JCPOA. Rouhani criticized the US president for his baseless allegations against Tehran. He expressed confidence that the Iranian nation’s solidarity along with the international community’s support for the nuclear deal will force US officials to review their anti-Iran policies.

Trump’s travel ban blocked

A federal judge in the US has blocked President Donald Trump’s latest travel ban, calling it discriminatory and in contravention of immigration law. In his ruling, Judge Derrick Watson called Trump’s efforts to restrict citizens from several countries entering the US “detrimental to the interests of the country”. Watson further said the ban plainly discriminated based on nationality. The open-ended ban announced last month targeted people from Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Chad and North Korea, as well as certain government officials from Venezuela. Reacting to the latest ruling, the White House said it was confident that Trump’s travel restrictions would be ultimately upheld. The Justice Department has also announced an appeal into the ruling. Trump has taken a hard line on immigration, during his campaign vowing "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the US."

Palestinian unity deal

Palestinians have played down Israel’s decision not to resume talks with the Palestinian Authority over its reconciliation agreement with the Hamas Islamic movement. The Palestinian Authority said Tel Aviv’s decision would not have any impact on the implementation of the last week deal between Hamas and PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party. The Palestinian Authority described the Cairo-brokered reconciliation deal a supreme national interest. It said the agreement would help end Israel’s occupation and pave the way for establishment of an independent Palestinian state. On Tuesday, Israel said it would not pursue talks with a Palestinian government that included Hamas and set out a list of pre-conditions to enter negotiations. The demands include Hamas's disarmament and recognition of Israel. Palestinians say the move is Israel’s new excuse to avoid negotiations.

Myanmar atrocities

Amnesty International says Myanmar’s security forces have killed hundreds of Rohingya Muslims in northern Rakhine state. A new report published by the prominent rights group details mass killings, torture and forcible displacement of Rohingya Muslims by the Myanmar government. The report says security forces have burned to death the elderly and others unable to flee, adding women and girls were raped in some villages. Amnesty has called on the United Nations Security Council to impose an arms embargo on Myanmar and set targeted sanctions against senior officials. More than 580,000 Rohingya refugees have crossed into the neighboring Bangladesh fleeing a crackdown branded by the UN as “ethnic cleansing”.

China Congress

China’s Communist Party has opened its twice-a-decade congress that is expected to determine new top party members. Set in Beijing’s massive Great Hall of the People, the event is expected to enhance President Xi Jinping’s powers, as well as grant him a second five-year term as secretary general of the communist party. The Congress is also set to roll out the Party’s vision for the next five years, and determine the make-up of the Politburo Standing Committee; the country’s top ruling body. Addressing the congress, President Xi said Beijing considered Taiwan a wayward province, to be brought under China’s control by force if necessary. He also slammed what he called separatists in Tibet and Xinjiang. The event is expected to last several days and draw more than 2,000 delegates.

Ukraine anti-government protest

Scuffles break out between Ukrainian police and protesters calling for the resignation of President Petro Poroshenko. Thousands of anti-government protesters staged a rally outside the parliament in the capital, Kiev. They blamed the president for what they called poverty and humiliation. The protesters also asked for the establishment of an anti-corruption high court and demanded changes to Ukraine's election laws to encourage competition.

Iraqi army’s mission accomplished  

The Iraqi army says it has achieved its goals to retake Kurdish-held areas outside the autonomous Kurdistan region. The army says security has been restored and troops have been re-deployed in the provinces of Kirkuk, Diyala and Nineveh. In the latest development, government forces got back areas in Nineveh, including a dam in the provincial capital, Mosul. On Monday, they also retook Kirkuk and its oil facilities, with the government now asking British Petroleum to help it develop the city’s oil fields. The operations to retake areas previously held by Peshmerga forces are aimed at restoring security, in the wake of last month’s secession vote by the Kurdistan regional government. The newly-seized areas were taken by Kurds in the course of the war against Daesh.

Quetta killings

A huge explosion in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta has claimed the lives of at least six people, including four police officers. Nearly two dozen others were also wounded in the blast. According to Pakistani officials, the blast targeted a truck carrying police recruits on the city’s eastern outskirts. Two passers-by were also killed as a result of the deadly explosion. Police have cordoned off the area to investigate the incident. The Balochistan province, where the incident happened, has been the scene of violent explosions, mostly targeting security forces. Last week another explosion ripped through Quetta, killing at least one police officer and injuring several others.

Clinton attacks Trump

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says President Donald Trump’s threats to North Korea are “dangerous and short-sighted”. Speaking at a World Knowledge Forum in Seoul, the former first lady said President Trump’s Twitter tirades only benefitted North Korea’s Leader, Kim Jong-un. The verbal exchange of threats between the US and North Korean leaders over the past several months has raised international concerns about a possible military conflict between Pyongyang, and the US and its allies.

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